When you reach quarantine, it can suddenly look like all the things that have kept you in shape and well in your young years no longer cut it.
Well, you don’t imagine it.
“People have specific physiological and psychological needs in their forties,” said psychologist James Davis at Daily Mail Australia.
James is a mentor, animator of Podcast and author of “The Midlife Male Handbook”.
“The forties is not a curse, it is an opportunity to redefine the objectives and to live with a goal,” he says.
Regarding men in particular, certain lifestyle changes are essential to maintain a healthy life, a body and a sex life.
“We often think that younger men have the best sexual life, but that should not be so. By targeting details, we can help men prevent professional exhaustion, to achieve maximum performance – and have incredible sex in their years of quarantine. As Midlifers, we are constantly told that we must understand everything, but, in fact, most of us do not do it!
James is a award -winning coach several times with more than a decade of experience by helping people live their best life after 40 years. He began his career in the media world at a rapid rhythm, occupying senior roles at MTV and News International, before moving to Ibiza to set up a retirement and recycled business in training, fitness, nutrition and hormonal health.
Lifestyle changes can considerably reduce the risk for men of erectile dysfunction in life later, explains the Quarantine James Davis mentor (photo here with his partner)
After having divorced in the forties and experienced his own account of the forties, he moved the accent. Based on his experience in psychology and personal transformation, he is now passionate about helping men to sail in the challenges of quarantine and to transform them into possibilities of growth, vitality and confidence.
“As we get older, our hormones change,” he says.
“In men, testosterone, hormone responsible for muscle mass, energy, confidence and libido – begins to decrease gradually, often from the mid -1930s. This drop, combined with an increase in stress and lifestyle pressures, can cause symptoms like low energy, brain fog, poor sleep, reduced libido and even light depression.
“At the same time, estrogen levels can increase slightly in men, which can still affect mood and body composition. The result? Men often feel like a shadow of their old self without understanding why.
For men to be strong and have the best sex in their lives in their forties, it is important to work with hormones rather than against. This means supporting natural testosterone production through strength training, quality sleep, alcohol and transformed sugars, effective stress management and adequate micronutrients, in particular zinc, magnesium and vitamin D.
“For some, testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) could be worth explored with medical support, but the lifestyle is always the foundation,” adds James.
“Force training in particular is a powerful tool, not only for muscles, but to stimulate testosterone, mood and confidence.
“We know that the physical strength and sexual health of men are deeply linked to hormonal health, strength training, stress and lifestyle choices – and quarantine is a time when hormones and psychological pressures can have an impact on libido.”
“Force training in particular is a powerful tool, not only for muscles, but to stimulate testosterone, mood and confidence,” adds James
James says that men in their forties and fifties may have a better sex than they have done in their twenties if they prioritize certain aspects of their health
James highlights studies that show that men in their forties who exercise regularly and are in good shape have a much lower impact of erectile dysfunction than sedentary men.
“So, in the forties, there are many potential life changes that men can make to stay strong and have great sexual relations in their forties,” he said, adding that the understanding of hormonal health is crucial.
“ Testosterone in men decreases from 1 to three percent, per year after having culminated at the beginning of the twenty, which means that at the moment when a man has around fifty, testosterone levels could be 30 to 50% lower than what they were in their twenties, so the lifestyle strategies to stimulate testosterone can help. ”.
These include:
• Prioritize resistance training (in particular the elevators composed such as squats, lifts of earth and bendied developed)
• Reduce the consumption of sugar and alcohol, which are both linked to the drop in testosterone
• Take seven to nine hours of quality sleep per night, because testosterone is produced during deep sleep
• Stress management as cortisol (stress hormone) directly removes testosterone
• Ensure vitamin D, zinc and adequate magnesium – all vital for hormonal production
Strength training is essential
“Science says that we have to strike each muscular group twice a week with at least 48 hours rest before knocking again, so the ideal quantity is three to four sessions per week, focusing on the training of bodies or upper / lower upper and incorporating elevators composed like the squat and the developed with multiple muscle groups”, explains James.
“For men, regular strength training with compound elevators helps keep muscles, stimulate testosterone and cardiovascular form can help libido and erectile function.”
Men can also look at their diet.
“Sugar, alcohol and processed foods are linked to low libido, poor energy and inflammation. Some of the most common falls I see are the “reward to eat” at the end of a long stressful day, usual snacking or alcohol use to relax.
Instead, men can make simple but powerful exchanges:
• exchange snacks with high sugar content for protein -rich options such as Greek yogurt or nuts
• Replace processed carbohydrates (such as white bread or pastries) with whole grains such as oats, quinoa or brown rice
• Reducing alcohol intake, even the reduction of a few nights a week can have a significant impact on energy, sleep and libido
• Focus on colored vegetables, lean proteins and healthy fats to support hormonal production and maintain low inflammation
“Make sure your protein intake is high because it helps develop new muscles and allows you to feel more long,” adds James.
Aim for about 1.6 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, depending on the intensity of the drive.
Mental health
“Stress, performance anxiety and relational tension feed all libido and performance,” said James.
“Chronic stress increases cortisol levels, which removes testosterone and leaves men flat, disconnected and even more anxious, it becomes a vicious circle.
The construction of mental resilience and emotional regulation can help. Practices such as cognitive-behavioral breathing, journalization and behavior techniques are effective in managing performance anxiety and negative self-discourse.
It is just as important to prioritize downtime, connection and request for support if necessary, whether by a coach, a therapist or a confidence friend.
Of course, men are not machines; Connection and intimacy are also important to help men make an incredible sex life.
Open communication and emotional security are essential to satisfy sexual lives in the relationships of quarantine.
“Too often, couples derive in routine or avoid difficult conversations about sex. But when men feel seen, respected and emotionally connected, their confidence and their desire rise naturally. The best sex in your life often does not come from spontaneity, but from the connection, the confidence and the intentional presence.
Take Robert, a 52 -year -old customer who came to James, feeling disconnected from his wife for 20 years.
“He thought the problem was purely physical,” said James.
“But it turned out that they had not had an appropriate conversation on sex or emotional needs for years. It is important to remember that it is rarely sex, it is more to do with intimacy and connection.
With advice, Robert and his wife started to book time every week to speak openly – not only about sex, but what they felt and what they needed emotionally.
“Once they have restored this connection, the spark returned in a way that none of them expected,” said James.
“They started to experiment, laughing more and both said they felt more confident, sexy and deeply physically and emotionally connected.”
The Midlife men’s handbook is now in all good bookstores